This invention relates to the field of halogen torchiere lamps and, more particularly, to safety measures for halogen torchiere lamps having horizontally-installed bulbs.
A typical halogen torchiere lamp has an upward-facing lampshade mounted atop a long, upright stem. Most halogen torchiere lamps for home use have a double-ended, horizontally-mounted bulb set within the lampshade. Typically, as shown in FIG. 1, a horizontal halogen bulb is mounted on a U-shaped bracket. The bracket is, in turn, mounted on the threaded screw brushing of the stem about its central hole. An optional reflector assembly, which can have the shape of a wide, low-profile rectangular or trapezoidal raised section for reflecting light from a bulb upward and out of the lampshade, may be mounted beneath the bulb. The double-ended halogen bulb is installed in the lampholder above the reflector. A half cylindrical glass shield is held in position above the bulb by means of two clips in order to prevent contact by the user with the bulb.
Most halogen torchiere lamps for home use utilize a 300 watt bulb mounted within the lampshade. Naturally, the 300 watt bulb generates intense heat. The upwardly-directed heat is further intensified by the upward reflection of the bulb's heat and luminescence by the top surface of the reflector and by the inside of the lampshade. The half-cylindrical glass bulb cover, while intended to protect the bulb, unfortunately impedes air circulation and thereby contributes to the heat surrounding the bulb. These factors all contribute to a serious problem during indoor use where halogen torchiere lamps are often placed near draperies, curtains or other window treatments. These window treatments or other materials such as clothing, paper or toys, all of which are often made from flammable materials, could cover the upwardly-facing lampshade or could otherwise contact or come close enough to the bulb such that such materials would then be caused to ignite from the intense heat of the bulb and of its immediately surrounding area. Unfortunately, there have been many instances in which this has in fact occurred, causing severe burns, loss of life and extensive property damage.
There have been many attempts to solve this problem by guarding the bulb against contact with flammable materials. Most of such attempts have concentrated on providing some sort of protective covering for the torchiere lampshade, such as by providing a transparent or wire mesh shield over the lampshade. However, these attempts often resulted in unsightly shadows being cast on the ceiling above the torchiere lamp because of the halogen light shining through the shield. In addition, due to the concentrated heat of the halogen bulb, these shields, which are in close proximity to the bulb, often get almost as hot as the bulb itself and, by restricting air circulation about the bulb, contribute to an even higher temperature about the bulb. Furthermore, even if these shields were to be configured in a convex fashion so as to be further away from the bulb, the profile of the lamp is thereby degraded by an unsightly and protrusive dome.
It is desirable, therefore, to avoid conflagrations caused by contact or proximity of fabrics to a halogen torchiere lamp bulb, but without degrading either the appearance of the lamp or the light cast by the lamp.
It is also desirable to guard a halogen torchiere lamp against causing fires through contact with nearby fabrics by deflecting the intense light and heat away from the area immediately above the halogen bulb, thereby lowering the temperature about the bulb.
It is further desirable to provide an apparatus for lowering the temperature about the bulb of a halogen torchiere lamp without decreasing the intensity of the bulb's luminescence.